Photographers and photographic enthusiasts have been gaining in numbers with the ubiquity and decreased cost of high end digital cameras. With this transition the photographic excellence potential once reserved for professionals is now accessible to the masses. The demographics of users and the activities of these new users have changed the needs for the photographic industry to offer new protection options for photographic equipment. These new users are generally younger and more active than traditional photographic enthusiasts. These more active lifestyles demand new protection options for photographic equipment; allowing for uses outdoors, while traveling and amidst the hustle and bustle of the city without the fear of damaging the equipment.
Photographic equipment by nature is delicate. The optics and internal electronics are sensitive to impact, vibration, abrasion and moisture damage.
For an active photographic enthusiast, there are times when it is necessary for a carrying case to allow easy access to the equipment stored inside, thus allowing short transition from stowed camera to shot capture. This is critical for the ability to capture the photograph of choice and to achieve photographic excellence.
Generally, the carrying cases currently on the market are soft and non-conforming in shape, thus leading to vulnerabilities in protection. These designs are also cumbersome, making quick access to photographic equipment difficult. As a result, the carrying cases currently on the market do not adequately protect expensive photographic equipment and fail to satisfy the needs of the active photographer.